Internal-combustion engine



A. J. STIMSON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

' APPLICATION FILED IAN. 13, I919.

1,335,134. Patented Mar. 30, 1920. s SHEETSSHEET I.

A. J. STIMSON. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13 1919.

1,335,134. Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' I avmmwtoz A. J. STIMSON. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION man 1,AN.13,1919.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ARTHUR J". STIMSON, 0F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.-

INTERNAIi-COMBUSTION EN GITNE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30,1920.

Application filed January 13. 1919. Serial No. 270.870.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR J STIMSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, I 7

The present invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines of the rotary type, involving the use of a rotor 01' rotatingmember which carries a pivoted piston member, and the engine is designed particularly for the purpose of furnishing a durable, economical, and efiicient means for performing its required functions.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts involving a series of rotary members 011 the same common shaft, each carrying a piston and including a casing or cylinder, and in certain connections and arrangements wherep by the separate or independent. units of the engine are operated in sequence in order that a continuous power may be applied to the main shaft of the engine.

In the accompanying drawings one. complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention is illustrated, constructed and arranged according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is an end view of the engine, showing the fuel supply tanks in section.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the engine.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view.

Fig. 4: is a longitudinal sectional view, en larged, showing one of the combustion chambers and a pivoted piston together with the spring pressed plate forming a distensible wall of the combustion chamber.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a combustion chamber, omitting the distensible wall.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section showing a piston in its recess.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of one of the controlling valves in which the air and gas, or hydrocarbon, are mixed and from which the charge is admitted to the combustion chamber.

In the drawings a preferred form of the invention is illustrated as of the four cylinder type with rotary driven members on the single shaft 1 which is properly journaled in the frame 2, and fixed upon the shaft are four rotors 3, similar in construction and fashioned as flat disks of circular outline,

and each of these disks has a casing 4, held stationary, and spacedapart and supported in the frame. Each rotor is provided with a piston as 5 having its body 6 curved to conform to the periphery of the rotor and adapted to seat in a groove or recess 7 in the rotor, and at 8 the piston is pivoted in the rotor by a pin passing transversely through the rotor at its periphery. I v

There are four of the casings 4 shown in the drawings and adjacent each of the casings or cylindersa rotor revolves the impetus being given to the rotor as it passes through a combustion chamber 11 formed within the casing and extending circumferentially a suitable distance around the motor. Each chamber has an open inner side and an open rear end to accommodate the pivoted piston 5 which is designed to swing outwardly on its pivot from the position in Fig. 4 and form an abutment to receive the impact of the exploded charge of fuel that enters the chamber through the inlet pipe 12 and is exploded by the spark plug 13 as usual. The piston swings out into the combustion chamber with its side edges in close contact with the side walls of the chamber to prevent escape of fuel gas before the explosion, and to further prevent escape of gas each chamber is provided with a hinged gate or plate'l whose pivot 15 is located at the outer wall of the combustion chamber, and the inner or free end of the gate is held in contact with the periphery of the revolving rotor by a spring 16 on the stem 17 in the housing 18., so that when the piston is positively swung outwardly on its pivot into the combustion chamber, as the rotor revolves, the swinging motion of the piston is imparted to the plate and the piston and plate form an inclosure for the charge being admitted to the combustion chamber until the free end 19 of the piston swings into contact with the inner face of the outer wall of the chamber, or rather against the curved plate 14 as it lies close up against the inner face of the outer wall. In this position the piston is at its extreme position to receive the charge and to receive the impact from the explosion of the charge, then, after the passage of the piston, the plate 14 is again swung closed to shut off escape of the fuel charge, and the exhaust gases follow the piston through the open end of the chamber to the atmosphere. The

. four units of the engine are so arranged and timed that the successive explosions of the charges in the combustion chambers follow each other to practically make the action continuous.

Each piston has a cam mechanism to positively move the piston to position to receive the charge and explosion, an arm being provided for each piston and fixed to its pivot member, rigidly, to swing with the piston. A cam wheel 21 is carried at the free end of the arm 20 and the wheel travels or runs on the cam race 22 fixed between adjoining casings and supported on the frame 1.

If two combustion chambers and two explosions are to be used in a single revolution of the rotor as indicated in the di awings the chamber 11 1s arranged dlametrically opposite the chamber 11, and the double cammember 22 will actuate the piston at diametrically opposite points in the casing, the

action in each chamber being the same as heretofore described.

The fuel, in charges, is furnished to the engine from the pair of tanks 23 and 24:, the tanks both being cylindrical in shape and the latter supported within the former, and both properly supported above the engine. The inner tank is adapted to contain compressed air and the outer tank contains gas under pressure, the two fluids forming the ingredients for the fuel charge, and supplied by supply pipes 25 and 26 respectively to the distributing and mixing valves 27. A valve 27 is provided for each combustion chamber and it is connected to the chamber by the pipe 12 before mentioned. The valve actuating mechanism is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, as employing bevel gear mechanism operated from the main shaft, and the valves are operated in synchronism and in predetermined relation to the sparking devices which are electrically connected from one unit of the engine to another and from one combustion chamber to another in succesrigid with the curved plate co-acting with the cam to positively swing the curved plate as described.

2. The combination with the supporting frame and a recessed rotor, of a short, annular casing fixed to the frame outside the periphery. of the rotor and forming a combustion chamber with an open inner side closed by said rotor, a curved plate pivoted in the recessed rotor and actuating means therefor, an oppositely pivoted plate in the combustion chamber adapted to co-act with the curved plate by frictional contact to prevent escape of fuel charges to the chamher, a housing on the casing, a stem therein pivoted to the last mentioned chamber plate, and a spring in the housing surrounding said stem to hold the chamber plate in contact With the rotor or curved plate as described. V

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARTHUR J. STIMSON. 

